¡¡TIKRIT, Iraq, March 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. and Iraqi forces captured a top leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, who believed to be the head of the Islamic state of Iraq, in north of Baghdad area, a provincial police source said on Monday.

    "A joint U.S. and Iraqi force arrested Muharib Abdullah, who believed to be Abu Umer al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic stateof Iraq," the source from Salaudin province told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

    The news was confirmed later from the Iraqi state television.